the mileage of ministry

Interstate Highway Systemic

-Aaron Minton

Weekends were usually long-awaited breaks in between the week-long demand of classes,assignments and busy schedules By the time Friday evening rolled around, students were more than ready to hang out and relax. Instead,some students hitthe road.

Reserving threeweekends ofevery month forministry, themembers of YouthQuest were more than juststudents,they were modern-day missionaries.

YouthQuest began in 1981 as a ministry similartoother singing teams on campus. They were a chorale group that traveled and performed for churches. More than twenty years later,YouthQuest had transformed into a more relational and intimate ministry that focused on reaching out tothe youth ofAmerica

The original structure of the group gave team members very littletime to getto know and interactwith theteens Recognizing theneed forchange,YouthQuest redesigned its ministry so the members would have an opportunity to get involved with theiraudience and go beyond justperforming for them

According to Rich Brown, the Director of YouthQuest,the program was designed to be, "A discipleship ministry that travels to churches and youth camps and ignites a spiritualspark toinfluenceteenstogo deeper intheirrelationshipwith Christ."YouthQuest was divided into two separate teams, with a praise band and drama team. Both teams participatedin thepraise, worship and drama They were alsoinvolved withthediscipleship and relationshipsbehind thescenes.

The members traded in their comfortablebedsfor sleepingbagsandjoinedteenagers intheirhomes forone-on-one mentoring The home environment allowed theyouth toopen up and ask questions while the team members shared theGospel.

Team members went through a thorough three-phaseprocessbeforebeingselected

The team director and leaders searched for students who were committed to Christian principlesand have a passion foryouth Once the team was finalized, the work began Team members were dedicated to the ministry,committing a lotof their time to prepare and serve.The team traveled three weekends a month,had two practices a week and one team meeting every Thursday YouthQuest required members to be serious and dedicated toministering to youth,but the challenges were wellworth the effort Senior, Aaron Minton, who served on YouthQuest forfouryears, said "YouthQuest has given me a refined outlook on ministry, a challenging college experience, lasting relationshipsand a vast knowledge ofthe Southeast's interstatehighway system!"

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